For more than a decade, Barbette has anchored the corner of Lake Street and Irving, and some impressive names have run through its kitchen. But perhaps it has hit its high-water mark with the latest. Kevin Kathman, a French Laundry alum and Cold Spring native, recently felt the call to return to his home state. Lucky us. Kathman took over last winter, and things have been on an uptick ever since. Consider the late-night happy hour menu. A half-pound of mussels for $5 and a beer for $3 more? And that’s just the beginning. The menu reads like the Barbette of yore, as with the infamous bowl of fries ($5), but there are also special nuances, such as the addictive spices in the lamb burger ($10). During late-night hours, you can wash it all down with a glass of wine for only $4. Perhaps it should be rechristened Barbette(r).
1600 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-827-5710, barbette.com
